Archive: IMCOM

Twenty-four Soldiers from the 20th Engineer Brigade held up their right hands and were sworn in to the Corps of Noncommissioned Officers at the York Theater Friday.
The ceremony, the 20th Eng. Bde.'s first since redeploying in November of last year, was to recognize the Soldiers who had been promoted to the rank of sergeant and mark what is often a significant moment in the career of an enlisted Soldier.

Hunting for souvenirs was an important pastime for many GIs during World War II and provided them with strong psychological benefits. "When Soldiers pick that object up, even though it may be years later, a memory is triggered and they're reliving that adventure once more," said one military historian.

Fort Lee was the final stop in a unique logistics operation Aug. 22, as a giant C-17 cargo aircraft fuselage arrived from California to its new home in Virginia. Soldiers from the 7th Sustainment Brigade at Fort Eustis used an Army tugboat and Army Warping Tugs to push the fuselage on a floating causeway to a site on the Appomattox River. The 170-foot-long, 25-foot-high fuselage will become a part of a new multi-mode training site at Fort Lee, where more than 2,000 military students will be trained annually.

YES, a Fort Detrick, Md., partnership with Hood College, encourages students to delve into science and engineering careers and offers a week's worth of hands-on experimentation, exploration and excitement.

After serving six years under Air Traffic Services Command (ATSCOM), the 1st Battalion, 11th Aviation Regiment rejoined Training and Doctrine Command's (TRADOC) 110th Aviation Brigade. A transition ceremony held Aug. 13 at the U.S. Army Aviation Museum marked the change.

When defense of the United States requires Soldiers to serve in foreign countries, occasionally romance blossoms and Family status changes. Should Family status change while a Soldier is serving on foreign soil, Army Community Services (ACS) can help new Family members establish permanent legal residency.

The Office of the Judge Advocate General is now accepting applications for the Army's Funded Legal Education program. Under this program, up to 25 Army officers may be selected to attend law school at government expense while on active duty.

The Army's BenAfAt Laboratories conducted in Albany Thursday its first Black Silicon symposium that was attended by more than 20 representatives from such institutions as Harvard, MIT, RPI, and the Army Research Laboratories.
BenAfAt is well known for its work at the Watervliet Arsenal in research, development, and prototype production of large caliber weapon systems. What most people don't know, however, is that much of BenAfAt's research for cannon and tank development also enhances capability for a variety of Soldier systems, from infrared devices to stereo lithographic modeling.

He's the only Army rabbi in Europe, with a flock that's scattered all over the continent and follows a variety of religious traditions. Now he's organizing a retreat for the Jewish New Year next month, but you don't even have to be Jewish to attend.

The U.S. housing market has hit a steep decline, and it's hurting servicemembers like 'Joe,' but through the help of his chain of command and Army Community Service, he's found a temporary solution that has kept him out of bankruptcy.

SCHWEINFURT, Germany - The U.S. Army Garrison Schweinfurt community enjoyed an evening of the arts yesterday outside of the Conn Community Club when mingling with critically-acclaimed novelist and travel writer, Gary Shteyngart, author of award winning books, "The Russian Debutante's Handbook" and "Absurdistan."

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Members from the Schofield Barracks Health Center, Medical Company C, administer triage at a mobile decontamination site set up in front of the clinic during the full-scale U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii Annual Antiterrorism Exercise, Aug. 19.

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii - The Hui O' Wahine club at Fort Shafter and its sister club, the Hui O' Na Wahine at Schofield Barracks are looking for new members during two "Super Sign-Up" events, here, Aug. 26 and 31.

POHAKULOA TRAINING AREA, Hawaii - The Pohakuloa garrison command sergeant major is taking on new challenges and getting to know the civilian employees and military operations at the Pacific region's premier training area, the Pohakuloa Training Area (PTA), on the Big Island of Hawaii.

SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii - Four children from the Holy Family Home orphanage in Osaka, Japan, spent 10 days soaking in American and Hawaiian hospitality with families from the 1st and 2nd Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment, "Wolfhounds."

Seeking to improve the process by which hearing-impaired employees request interpreters, ASC has launched a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt project.
Two training sessions set the stage for the project. They were held on June 15-19 and July 13-17 in the Army Sustainment Command Headquarters' Command Assessment and Continuous Improvement Conference Center.

While everyone knows the opportunities the Army offers its Soldiers, civilians and contractors in their careers, they may not realize the opportunities it offers for the children to learn and explore their interests.
The SKIESUnlimited program offers fun and educational classes for Team Redstone's youngest members.
Currently, the Schools of Knowledge, Inspiration, Exploration and Skills Unlimited offers three continual programs. Kids from as young as 3 can take weekly classes in piano, Taekwondo or choose from dance, cheerleading and gymnastics offerings. All classes are taught by instructors who express their enthusiasm for the youngsters.
"I do this because I love it," Taekwondo master Jeffrey Davis said. "Some of these kids came to me at 7 or 8 and now they're getting ready to go off to college. It's fantastic to watch them grow into who they are going to be."

In July, about 45 West Point cadets and at least one active duty Soldier began learning how to save lives on the battlefield beyond combat lifesaver and Soldier first responder techniques during an Emergency Medical Technician-Basic certification class.

Missile and aviation testing will make history simultaneously at Redstone Arsenal this week.
Two Army organizations well-known for providing the best testing of weapon systems used in theater will merge on Thursday to become the Army's premier testing facility. The Redstone Technical Test Center and the Aviation Technical Test Center, formerly of Fort Rucker, will merge to become the Redstone Test Center at 10 a.m. Thursday in Bob Jones Auditorium. In addition, a groundbreaking for new RTC facilities will be held Friday at 10 a.m. at the Redstone Airfield.
Both RTTC and ATTC were formed in the 1950s, with RTTC charged with the testing of missile, aviation and sensor systems, subsystems and components while ATTC - in various organizational forms throughout the years - was charged with testing the airworthiness and safety qualifications of aircraft and related aviation equipment.

Staff Sgt. James Matthews, information technology specialist for the Information and Education Technology Division here, didn't think he would end up a hero during an intramural softball game July 13, but it turns out he was.

A large crowd gathered Aug. 10 to witness the star-studded firing of two Javelin missiles.
AMCOM commander Maj. Gen. Jim Myles and program executive officer for missiles and space Brig. Gen. Genaro Dellarocco each fired a Javelin missile as part of the normally scheduled Javelin Stockpile Reliability Program testing.
The general officers demonstrated confidence in not only the Javelin weapon system and training program, but also the SRP. The Javelin SRP was designed to provide the data needed to assure the Javelin missile maintains the expected performance, reliability and safety for the duration of its use in the field.

The two members of the official party exchanged handshakes and passed the log book and keys between them. This moment signified the official transfer of a UH-60M from the Utility Helicopter Project Office to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agency.
The delivery marked the first UH-60M aircraft to enter service for the CBP which currently utilizes UH-60A aircraft to protect this nation's borders. The CBP will take delivery of four UH-60M aircraft by July 2010.
This state-of-the-art helicopter will allow the CBP to modernize its rotary wing fleet and better achieve its agency mission requirements. The aircraft will be used to provide mobility and communication for CBP agents along the United States borders and between official ports of entry.

Like all the other veterans making the Tennessee Valley Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. on Aug. 29, Joe Costello of Huntsville is looking forward to visiting with other veterans and seeing the World War II memorial.
"I hope to see some of my friends that I knew in the service," he said. "It will be an honor to see the World War II memorial and the changing of the guard (at Arlington Cemetery). I will be proud to see the names inscribed on the World War II memorial because I know they are the ones who are heroes, the ones who died."
Yet, his trip has become even more special with the addition of a much-loved companion.

Ward Stirling didn't realize until recently that he may be one of a kind. The Redstone worker was born on post.
Stirling was born Sept. 9, 1970 in building 112, which served as the hospital here until Fox Army Hospital opened in 1978. He's a system administrator III for the AMCOM Command Group.
"In the 30 years that Mike (Baker) has been around as historian we have met maybe less than five people born on the installation who moved away," Claus Martel, a historian in the Aviation and Missile Command's Historical Office, said. "I can think of no other person that's working here that's 40 years old (or younger) that was born on Redstone Arsenal."

The Garrison is at a critical point. Of its government employees, 28 percent are eligible for retirement, and many more will be eligible within the next few years. Due to the aging work force, preparations must be made for the future.
The mission of the Garrison is to "continuously (provide) superior installation operations support and quality of life to enable Team Redstone's mission success."
Besides the aging work force, Base Realignment and Closure will require more employees in order to accomplish this mission.

Two-year-old Grace Kiamie danced to the swing and rhythms of the Jazz Ambassadors, the U.S. Army Field Band's premier big band, during the group's 40th anniversary concert Saturday evening outside the Fort Meade Pavilion.

As more of their staff is relocated or hired in, U.S. Army Security Assistance Command is seeing their team come together at Redstone.
Their newest member, Col. Gwendolyn Roland, is the director of regional operations for four of the organization's six global areas. She took over the position Aug 4.
Roland's military career has spanned 23 years. During that time, she served all over the world. Her years of experience in ordnance, maintenance and forward support landed her an assignment as the security assistance officer to the Office of Military Cooperation in Egypt in 2003. Her time there, coupled with her field experience, gives her a unique perspective on what it is that USASAC does.

Dozens of people craned their necks to watch as a piece of metal weighing more than half a ton swung through the air. They let loose a round of applause and whoops as the beam came to rest in the frame of one building in the Defense Information Systems Agency headquarters complex.

Pat Cross has gone from telephone operator to motor vehicle operator to administrative assistant in her 35 years of employment with the Department of Defense.
And, along the way, she has ridden in a Huey helicopter and a tank, taken a maiden dependent voyage on the U.S.S. Aubrey Fitch, and helped make a difference as a member of the Civilian Welfare Fund Council and an executive with the Combined Federal Campaign.
She has also managed to break through a few glass ceilings that, at the time, she didn't even know were there.
"My dad was retired civil service, so working as a civil servant just seemed the natural thing for me to do," she said.

Family, friends, colleagues and fellow members of Team Redstone gathered in Bob Jones Auditorium to share in the experience and bear witness as Steve Cornelius, associate director for missile development at Aviation and Missile Research Development and Engineering Center, was sworn in as a member of the Senior Executive Service.
Maj. Gen. Jim Myles, commander of the Aviation and Missile Command, who officiated the ceremony, spoke of Cornelius' selection to the SES, and his dedication to Team Redstone and, most important, to the Soldier.
"We got it right with this guy. I've been doing this thing in the Army for about 34 years and every once in a while I know what right looks like. It's about building a team and being able to make things better. It's about what we can do for others. This guy is made of gold. His heart is huge. These are the type of people we want to sustain the great work force that we have now and actually take it to the next level," Myles said.

Customers who live, work or do business at Redstone Arsenal will have an opportunity Aug. 24 through Sept. 18 to provide detailed feedback on all of the post's services.
The 2009 annual Customer Service Assessment, which falls under Customer Management Services, is the Installation Management Command's annual Armywide program for collecting customer feedback and using the data to evaluate and improve the delivery of installation programs and services. The assessment is intended to answer the all important question affecting resource allocation in IMCOM: "What does it matter to Soldiers and to their families'"

Two weeks ago, during a Consideration of Others facilitation within the garrison, one group member made a poignant discovery. The member stated without any prompting, "... change must come from within."

American high school students in Korea will be able to take classes through any computer beginning Aug. 31thanks to the virtual school program the Department of Defense Education Activity set up here.
The DoDEA Virtual School program is in the new Humphreys Education Center and provides supplemental courses to students attending USKF traditional schools.

WHEELER ARMY AIRFIELD, Hawaii - U.S. Army Garrison-Hawaii launched its inaugural advanced motorcycle training course, here, Aug. 17-20. The course is part of a pilot program, developed by the garrison's Installation Safety Office, in an effort to reduce the number of motorcycle-related fatalities for Soldiers stationed in Hawaii.

FORT BENNING GA - When LTC John L. Erickson jumped out of a C-47 above Corregidor at just after 8:30 a.m. Feb. 16, 1945, he stepped into history as the first American paratrooper out the door in the effort to reclaim the island during World War II.

FORT BENNING GA - "The sea, once it casts its spell, holds one in its net of wonder forever." - Jacques-Yves Cousteau
Seventy-five percent of the Earth's surface is covered by water. Oceans, rivers, lakes, and even the nearby watering hole, add up to millions of miles of underwater adventures for scuba diving enthusiasts. Become a recreational diver and you can see the world you've been missing that's located literally beneath your feet.

For the first time since the 1st Infantry Division returned to Kansas from Germany, all members of the command group are now at Fort Riley - a key step as the division headquarters prepares to deploy to Iraq early next year. The "Big Red One" welcomed Col. Randal Dragon Aug. 14 as one of two deputy commanding officers, completing the team known as "Victory 5."

FORT BENNING GA - GEN David Petraeus and GEN(R) Colin Powell will headline the Jim Blanchard Leadership Forum Aug. 31 through Sept. 1 at the Cunningham Center for Leadership Development at Columbus State University.

When the top U.S. general in Europe - a 33-year Army veteran with longtime ties to Fort Benning - first heard the Infantry and Armor schools would merge here into the Maneuver Center of Excellence, he said his reaction was mixed.

FORT BENNING GA - After 20 years of serving the valley area, Big Brothers Big Sisters is concentrating much of its efforts on Fort Benning, thanks to a $20,000 grant that will link military children and Soldiers with "Bigs" and "Littles" in the community.

FORT BENNING GA - Some of the Army's finest noncommissioned officers and Soldiers came to Fort Benning to compete for the title of Best Warrior during the third annual National Guard Best Warrior Competition Aug. 1-4.
The competition tested participants on a wide variety of Soldier tasks in a nearly nonstop barrage of events. They zeroed and sighted weapons, went on a 12-mile ruck march, completed first-aid tasks, took the Army Physical Fitness Test and Combat Water Survival Test, completed a land navigation course and participated in combatives. The competition also included a written exam, and essay writing and uniform inspection tests.

Army Management Staff College graduated a combined total of 107 students from its Intermediate course (IC) and Continuing Education for Senior Leaders (CESL) program recently. Of the total, 29 students graduated from the senior leader program and 78 graduated from the Intermediate Course at ceremonies held in their honor. Although the classes are different, all students had at least one thing in common--they took time away from their home stations to invest in their development as leaders. The graduates raved about the courses.

In 1971, the U.S. Congress declared the 26th of August, "Women's Equality Day." August 26th is the anniversary of the 1920 passage of the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, which provides that, "The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any state on account of sex."

Nineteen teams competed in the Float Your Boat competition Aug. 15 during the Milford Lake Extreme Outdoor Water Festival. Contestants could only use two materials to build their boats - cardboard and duct tape.

School buses, filled backpacks, new outfits, smiling teachers, excited students and anxious parents. These were the sights at Fort Riley Elementary School Aug. 17 as the summer came to an end and students returned to school.

"This is a whole new kind of training for a whole new kind of mission," said Maj. Karrie Patterson, 1st Infantry Division G-5 planner.
Patterson was just one of the participants in a recent training event aimed to prepare 1st Inf. Div. leaders for their upcoming deployment and the challenges associated with stability and support operations in Iraq.

Persistent stateside economic problems are hammering the U.S. real-estate market. And many people within the Army community - troops and their families, along with civilian employees - are finding themselves unable to make monthly payments, rent homes or have loans where the appraised value of the house is less than the mortgage.

BAMBERG, Germany -- HIRED! is an apprenticeship program for youth in the ages of 15 to 18. It provides on-the-job experience and allows the apprentices to gain valuable skills. The first term is about to end and the second term begins Sept. 8.

Tanya Biank, whose book "Army Wives" inspired the No. 1-rated Lifetime TV network show of the same name, will experience the same hurt and pain of separation as other 3rd Infantry Division families when the division deploys in less than two months.

Sometimes, it just does not pay to leave Fido and Fluffy home alone while you go out to make money for their biscuits and litter.
When you find yourself in such a predicament, look to the Pet Boarding Facility at Holbrook Pond on Fort Stewart for a solution. Whether you need to drop off your pet for a few hours, days, or months, Paula Berg and Cassandra Berg, animal caretakers, are ready to provide the same treatment and more that your dog or cat would get at home.

Dreher High School principal Jeanne Stiglbauer celebrated the achievements of women with Fort Jackson leadership at the post's annual Women's Equality Day luncheon. The Columbia educator also called for women to push for more progress.